'No Other Land' Wins Best Documentary Feature Film
"No Other Land," co-directed by Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers, chronicles settler violence and the Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank. On Sunday, March 2, 2025, it made history by winning the Oscar for Best Documentary, marking the first time that Palestine was stated as the country of origin in the nomination. The film was created by Basel Adra in collaboration with Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, along with Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal and Israeli filmmaker Rachel Szor.
The film was produced from 2019 to 2023 and primarily consists of personal camcorder footage recorded by 28-year-old Palestinian activist Adra. He documents the Israeli military's destruction of his hometown, Masafer Yatta, located in a small, rugged area of the southern occupied West Bank.
The film highlights the Israeli demolitions of homes in the village as the Israeli military aims to convert the area into a military training zone. The footage shows the Israeli military destroying a school and filling water wells with cement to prevent residents from rebuilding.
The film was released months after deadly Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered Israel’s war on Gaza. At least 1,100 people were killed in the attacks in Israel, and about 240 people were taken captive. By the time a ceasefire took effect in Gaza on January 19, 2025 more than 48,000 Palestinians had been killed in the war. An estimated 13,000 additional people are buried under the rubble and are presumed dead.
During his Oscar acceptance speech on Sunday night in Los Angeles, Adra stated that his film “reflects the harsh reality we have been enduring for decades and still resist as we call on the world to take serious actions to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people.” He added, “About two months ago, I became a father, and my hope for my daughter is that she will not have to live the same life I’m living now.”
Abraham also spoke during the ceremony, saying, “When I look at Basel, I see my brother. However, we are unequal. I live under civilian law and am free, while Basel is subjected to military laws that destroy lives beyond his control.”
Last year, Netflix removed 24 Palestinian films from its platforms, drawing accusations that Hollywood and the U.S. media are suppressing Palestinian content. Studios and distributors in the United States have refused to take the film. Even online streaming platforms in the U.S. have not shown interest despite No Other Land being the highest-grossing Oscar-nominated documentary.
